Shows protective effect against heart damage in diabetics (Garlic oil)

Diabetes isn't a disease that only impacts the pancreas and plays havoc with blood sugar levels -- it ups the risk for a host of other health problems, from damaged vision to nerve pain. And over 30 percent of diabetics in the U.S. have some kind of heart disease, too, according to statistics from the Framingham study. In addition to large vessel disease and accelerated atherosclerosis, diabetes is also associated with diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM), which enlarges the heart and makes it more thick and rigid than normal. Complications from cardiomyopathy include heart failure, abnormal heart rhythms, fluid buildup in the lungs and legs and death.

But new research just published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry shows a simple, natural therapy -- garlic oil -- may prevent this potentially deadly heart problem which inflames and weakens the heart muscle.

Background information included in the study, which was conducted by scientists from China Medical University and Chung Shan Medical University in Taiwan, noted that people with diabetes have at least two times the risk of death from heart disease as others. In fact, heart disease is behind about 80 percent of all diabetes-related deaths. Dr. Wei-Wen Kuo, who headed the new research, and his colleagues gathered data from past studies which indicated garlic might protect against heart disease in general. They also found reports indicating garlic could help control the abnormally high blood sugar levels that occur in diabetes. So they decided to look specifically at whether garlic's multiple heart healthy benefits could add up to protection from diabetic cardiomyopathy.

In experiments with laboratory rats with diabetes, the scientists fed the animals either garlic oil or corn oil. The rodents who were given garlic oil experienced beneficial changes in their cardiovascular health -- changes associated with protection against heart damage. How was garlic responsible for these benefits? The scientists stated that garlic oil appears to have potent antioxidant properties. In all, they have identified more than 20 substances in garlic oil that may keep hearts and the cardiovascular system of diabetics healthier. "In conclusion, garlic oil possesses significant potential for protecting hearts from diabetes-induced cardiomyopathy," the report concluded.

More breaking garlic news: in a study just published in Journal of Natural Medicine, scientists from Krupanidhi College of Pharmacy in Bangalore, India, reported that garlic appears to have blood pressure lowering as well as cardioprotective abilities, too.

Prevent and Treat Heart Disease by Optimizing Omega-3 Fats

Humans have evolved to consume Omega-3 fatty acids and rely on this essential fat for the construction of cell wall membranes and to ensure cardiac health. Our ancient ancestors ate a diet high in fish, nuts and seeds to yield an abundance of Omega-3 fats in blood circulation. The long chain fat has been shown to lower levels of inflammation, reduce triglycerides and prevent deadly clots. Our modern diet is heavily weighted toward Omega-6 fats from vegetable oils that induce inflammation and promote heart disease. Balancing your diet with the proper Omega fat ratio and supplementing as necessary will provide protection and dramatically lower the risk of sudden death from a heart attack.

Lowering Risk of Death With Omega-3 Balance
Information reported in the journal PLoS Medicine lists lack of proper Omega-3 fat in the diet as one of the ten leading preventable causes of death. The journal estimates that nearly 100,000 die each year due to Omega-3 fat deficiency while many more suffer debilitating heart attacks, strokes and cognitive damage as a result. Another study published in the Nutrition Journal provides evidence that men with the highest levels of the Omega-3 fat, DHA ran a 34% lower risk of developing heart disease. Older adults with the highest total Omega-3 concentrations ran a 70% lower risk of a fatal heart attack.

Processed Food Diet Leads to Skewed Omega Fat Balance
The ideal ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fats is ideally 1:1. Evolutionary scientists believe that this level provides effective blood saturation as it lowers the risk of heart disease, stroke and neurological damage that result from sub-optimal balance. Our modern diet includes excessive quantities of Omega-6 fat primarily from vegetable oils that have been used for frying. Processed foods such as chips and baked products frequently make use of hydrogenated oils to preserve taste and texture and skew the ratio of Omega fats.

A diet consisting of excess amounts of meat, refined foods and meals away from home result in typical Omega fat ratios between 20:1 and as high as 50:1. These levels create a cascade of dangerous metabolic alterations and lead to chronic inflammation and changes in the delicate endothelial lining of the coronary arteries. After years of dietary abuse, our vascular system begins to deteriorate setting the stage for atherosclerosis, blood clots and death.

Establishing the Proper Omega-3 Fat Ratio
Aside from fatty fish, very few foods provide a source of the two key Omega-3 fats. EPA and DHA are the pre-formed fats preferred by our body. Omega-3 fats can be found in walnuts and seeds such as flax and chia but must be converted by the body to EPA and DHA to be available for use. Due to excess body weight and metabolic dysfunction, many people are unable to complete this conversion and must either supplement or consume fish to achieve a healthy dose of EPA and DHA fats.

For some people eating fish is not an option due to mercury contamination of many species. Supplementation is a viable option that has been effective in raising Omega-3 blood concentrations. Research confirms that people taking between 2,000 and 4,000 mg of combined EPA and DHA daily have been able to achieve healthy ratios and experience significant reduction in all cardiovascular risk factors.

Humans have evolved on a diet rich in Omega-3 fats that have been critical to health and cognitive development. Lowering consumption of Omega-6 vegetable oils and supplementing with Omega-3 fish oil will provide documented heart health benefits.

Natural diet lowers disease risk after just thirty days, study finds

Naturally sourced foods provide considerable protection against many of the leading chronic diseases that take the lives of millions worldwide each year. Researchers are able to demonstrate the influence of food on our genome as a single unhealthy meal can negatively impact hundreds of individual genes. Processed foods packed with sugar, refined carbohydrates and hydrogenated fats lead to a continual state of inflammation throughout our body. Metabolic syndrome, diabetes, heart disease and Alzheimer`s disease are all fueled by the release of dangerous chemical messengers that are the result of inflammation. Small changes in diet over a short period of time have been shown to significantly lower the risk of disease and improve quality of life.

Combination of Natural Foods Shown to Boost Health Biomarkers
The results of a study performed at Lund University in Sweden underscore the importance of healthy food combinations and reduced disease risk. The research focused on forty-four adults aged 50 to 75 who were fed a diet that included high antioxidant, low glycemic sources including oily fish, barley, blueberries, almonds, cinnamon, vinegar and a high fiber wholegrain bread for a period of 4 weeks.

Amazing Improvements in Health After 30 Days
Blood samples taken at the end of the test period showed that diet exerted a powerful effect on all key biomarkers associated with inflammation, blood sugar and blood clotting. Oxidized LDL cholesterol was reduced by 33%, blood pressure dropped 8%, total blood lipids improved 14%, and the blood clotting marker fibrinogen dropped 26%. Systemic inflammation was greatly reduced and memory and cognitive function were improved. The study authors found the results to be exceptional, as there have been no other studies to examine the benefits of proper diet on such a broad range of health functions.

Paleo Diet May Hold Key to Diabetes and Heart Disease Prevention
Extensive research shows that eating a diet that was consumed during the course of human evolution is the best way to prevent and treat diabetes and heart disease. During our 2.5 million year evolution humans ate natural foods such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, lean meat and fish. These food sources regulate blood sugar and insulin response as they are low in fast-releasing carbohydrates.

The results of research provided by a second Lund University study demonstrate that following a Paleo inspired diet for 12 weeks caused a 26% improvement in blood sugar levels, even when compared to the popular Mediterranean style meal. The absence of any grain-based foods provides the critical health benefits of the Paleo diet.a

The importance of proper diet and reduced risk of diabetes, heart disease and dementia cannot be overstated. Researchers consistently show that a diet of unprocessed foods can provide protection from disease and reverse the progression of serious illness. Take advantage of this information to dramatically improve your biomarker profile and extend your natural lifespan.

Olive oil, green leafy vegetables prevent heart disease

(NaturalNews) Italian researchers have confirmed that diets rich in leafy green vegetables and olive oil are vital for heart health. Dr. Domenico Palli from the Cancer Research and Prevention Institute in Florence and his colleagues discovered that women who eat at least one serving of leafy greens a day are 46 percent less likely to develop heart disease than women who eat less. And those who consume at least three tablespoons of olive oil a day earn roughly the same benefit.

"Probably the mechanisms responsible for the protective effect of plant-origin foods on cardiovascular diseases involve micronutrients such as folate, antioxidant vitamins and potassium, all present in green leafy vegetables," explained Palli to Reuters Health, confirming what previous studies on the "Mediterranean Diet" have already found.

Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the study collected data from about 30,000 Italian women and tracked their health over the course of eight years. They then correlated cases of heart disease to dietary habits and found that the amount of olive oil and leafy green vegetables consumed is directly correlated to heart health.

Besides improving heart health, eating a diet rich in vegetables and olive oil has been shown to prevent and treat type-2 diabetes, reduce the risk of breast cancer, maintain healthy weight and prevent obesity, prevent and treat prostate cancer, prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, and even lengthen lifespan .

"It appears that the various components of the Mediterranean Diet do promote lower inflammation, oxidative stress, and serum protein levels, which in turn lower risk for vascular problems that can contribute to brain aging -- hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke,

Call it vegetable or fruit - This functional food prevents heart disease

Who knew that the ubiquitous tomato, actually a super fruit, is good for your heart? The tomato is enjoyed as a tasty compliment in many traditional dishes or eaten a la carte, and scientists from Japan have now discovered that the tomato contains a nutrient that is shown to halt the devastating effects of vascular disease by improving blood lipids. Research published in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research explains the importance of including this super food to prevent heart disease.

An extracted compound from the fruit called 9-oxo-octadecadienoic acid (9-oxo-ODA) was shown to influence the amount of blood lipids in circulation. The effects of high levels of blood fats are typically symptomless, but they have been shown to be an important factor in the development of heart disease and vascular disorders.

Contrary to the Big Pharma instigated notion that high cholesterol is the cause of arterial plaque and heart attack, researchers have shown that the problem is really caused by increased levels of triglycerides and small, oxidized LDL cholesterol particles. These dangerous fat fractions are the result of a diet high in sugar and processed foods that stimulate the liver to release disproportionate quantities of the atherogenic lipids.

The study leader, Dr. Teruo Kawada, determined that the tomato-based compound could enhance fatty acid oxidation while regulating the release of metabolized fats from the liver. By directly influencing blood lipids already in circulation as well as during hepatic development, 9-oxo-ODA from tomatoes can halt vascular disease in its tracks.

Researchers concluded that the tomato-derived compound is a potent activator of genes that control the release of blood fats known to cause cardiovascular disease. According to Dr. Kawada "Finding a compound which helps the prevention of obesity-related chronic diseases in foodstuffs is a great advantage to tackling these diseases. It means that the tomato allows people to easily manage the onset of dyslipidemia through their daily diet."

The use of functional foods to prevent and treat chronic illness is rapidly gaining traction among mainstream medical practitioners. Despite the stronghold placed on physicians by pharmaceutical powerhouses and the American Medical Society to prescribe drugs for chronic disease management, a steady flow of solid peer reviewed research efforts are beginning to change the mindset of a growing number of physicians.

Past research designed to demonstrate the health benefits of tomatoes has shown that the key nutrient lycopene is activated when the fruit is cooked. The result of this study makes no distinction between raw and cooked versions, indicating that 9-oxo-ODA is bioavailable to regulate blood lipids in either form. Be certain to include tomatoes as part of your daily menu to help prevent heart disease.